The Blues would extend their advantage to six points if they won away to relegation-threatened West Ham yesterday.

At Eastlands, Roque Santa Cruz gave Manchester City a fourth-minute lead against Sunderland before Carlos Tevez made it 2-0 from the penalty spot. The visitors hit back through a John Mensah header before Jordan Henderson tied the match up at 2-2 from 14 yards.

Craig Bellamy restored City’s lead with a curling shot, but Sunderland replied again through Kenwyne Jones’s 62nd-minute header, only for Santa Cruz to make it 4-3 seven minutes later.

Just before fulltime, Sunderland’s Michael Turner was sent off for leading with his elbow.

Then came the drama of Hughes’ departure, after City’s second win in 11 league games was not enough to keep the Welshman in his job, with the club’s billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour demanding a greater return on his £200 million US$325 million) player investment.

Arsenal stayed third after a 3-0 win over Hull in Saturday’s late kick-off, with Denilson, Eduardo and Abou Diaby on target at the Emirates Stadium, but Liverpool’s miserable season hit a new low as Javier Mascherano was sent-off in a 2-0 defeat away to bottom-of-the-table Portsmouth.

Fulham, who beat United 2-0 at home last season, took the lead in the 22nd minute at Craven Cottage when former Liverpool midfielder Murphy dispossessed Paul Scholes and let fly with a 25-yard shot.

United fielded a makeshift defence featuring midfielders Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher, as well as youngster Ritchie de Laet.

Seconds into the second half, Fulham were 2-0 up after Zamora lashed in a half-volley. Zamora then set up Duff, who volleyed home 15 minutes from time.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa continued their push for a top-four spot with a 1-0 win at home to Stoke City thanks to a 61st-minute goal from substitute John Carew.